Beach bands to help keep kids safe

A new scheme to help keep children safe on the beach during busy summer days has been launched by Blackpool Council.

When the weather is good thousands of families often take to the beach to enjoy some sun, sea and sand.

And once they are there children love to run around, play games and explore.

But occasionally fun can turn into panic if a youngster runs off too far and loses track of their friends and family.

This can often be a scary experience for parents/guardians and children alike.

So, in order to tackle the problem Blackpool Council are now marketing a new scheme, which is free of charge, and will help parents and children to re-connect if they do get lost.

It’s perfect for the upcoming Bank Holiday weekend!

The scheme will see brightly coloured wristbands issued to children, on which parents can write down their mobile telephone number and, for example, the child’s name.

If a child looks lost they can then be easily identified and their parents can be called by a member of the Beach Patrol team or another responsible adult.

Cllr Ivan Taylor, speaking on behalf of Blackpool Council, said: “This is an excellent idea from our team which will help to reassure parents about their child’s safety while they are playing on the beach.

“It is not an exhaustive solution and parents should always keep a close eye on their children.

“However, this is an additional safeguard which could help to save a lot of upset and concern, as well as time for our Beach Patrol team.

“We’re currently in the process of making the wristbands available at as many locations as possible to make them easy to use.”

The wristbands are available at:

–          RNLI

–          McDonald’s South Promenade

–          Visit Blackpool/Tourist Information Office (Festival House)

–          The Blackpool Tower

–          Sea Life Centre

–          Madame Tussauds

Cllr Taylor also urged local business and hoteliers to support the scheme and publicise it to guests, particularly ahead of a busy Bank Holiday weekend.

He said: “We need as many people as possible to be made aware of the scheme.

“Local people and businesses can help spread the word to holidaymakers and I hope it will really catch on.

“Child safety is always a top priority and this is a simple, cheap and effective way to put an extra layer of protection in place.”